Uncle Toms Cabin Essays (684 words) - Civil Disobedience, Slavery

Uncle Toms Cabin Uncle Toms Cabin How realistically and credibly does Stowe present slavery? Stowe presents slavery in the only way she knows how, by using the facts. Several sources of other works in American literature contrast on to how Stowe presents slavery in her novel Uncle Toms Cabin. The elements of slavery are driven through the reflections of theme, characterization, and setting to show that the way slavery is presented is not contradicting. Through the character of Mrs. Shelby, Stowe seems to use her opposition against slavery the most. Mrs. Shelbys character realizes that slavery is unfair, unjust, and most of all unchristian. This theme of opposition of slavery can be compared to that of Henry David Thoreau, a transcendentalist in early American history. Thoreau was the author of a book entitled Civil Disobedience in which he expressed his views against slavery and the way the government did nothing to put an end to it. I bring up Thoreau because he was like Mrs. Shelby in a way. They both sided with the slaves, rather than go with the majority to say that slavery was a just cause. Deep down, morally, they knew it was wrong to control the life of another human being and not give them the freedom in which God intended for all. Thoreau tried to fight slavery in different ways than Mrs. Shelby, but they both had the same intent, to treat everyone equal regardless of their skin color. Thoreau went to the source of the pro blem, the government. This is where Thoreau was able to try and get through to a higher authority. He did this by gathering protests in Massachusetts where a slave was being held for fleeing from the south for a chance at freedom. Where as Mrs. Shelby posses the same ideas as Thoreau, but she helps slaves in other ways. Mrs. Shelby does in fact go against the government though, at this point in Uncle Toms Cabin she helps slaves try to escape to Canada where they will be free of their slave owners. One example of this is when Mrs. Shelby distracts the slave traders to allow more time for Eliza to escape further away (Heath Anthology P. 2316). It was at this point that Mrs. Shelby, in contrast to Eliza, never has had the courage to denounce slavery. This was realistic because it was an example of the Underground Railroad, which was a secret network of people who helped runaway slaves find safety in the north to Canada. In addition to the Connection of slavery in this novel, it reflects that of Frederick Douglas characterization with Tom from Uncle Toms Cabin. Frederick Douglas was an American slave who escaped the south. Douglas wrote a folk song called Steal Away To Jesus which told a story of slaves escaping to the north away from slavery (P. 2655). This is also similar to Eliza running off to Canada. Another similar aspect of Douglas experiences and Stowes novel deals with the opportunity to learn to read. Douglas was a slave who had the chance to learn to read and write just like Tom did in Stowes novel. Douglas saw that he had the chance to learn to read, so he took it before he had to move on to another slave owner (P. 1780). Douglas learns to read from a white mistress related to his slave owner (P. 1776). This was similar to how Tom learned to read in the novel. Both of these characters had a huge advantage over the other slaves by being able to read and write. They were able to use their n ewly found talents to teach others. Stowe realistically presents slavery, because every aspect of it is true and has been backed up by several sources. She shows the truth and evidence to what slaves had to go through in America. Bibliography (All sources cited for this essay were taken from The Heath Anthology of American Literature in which they were cited by the page number) English Essays

Brown v Board of Education essays

Brown v Board of Education essays Analysis of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka On June 7, 1892 a man named Homer Adolph Plessy was arrested and jailed for refusing to leave the White section of an East Louisiana Railroad train. Although Plessy was only one-eighths black, under Louisiana law he was considered black and, therefore, required to sit in the Colored section. The punishment for breaking this law, the Separate Car Act, was a fine of twenty-five dollars or twenty days in jail. Plessy went to court and argued, in Homer Adolph Plessy v. The State of Louisiana, that the Separate Car Act violated the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments of the Constitution. The judge hearing the case was John Howard Ferguson, who had recently ruled that the Separate Car Act was unconstitutional if the train was traveling through different states. However, in Plessys case, he decided that the state had the right to segregate the trains that operated in Louisiana only. Therefore, Plessy was found guilty. He, then, appealed to the Supreme Court of Louisiana, which uphe ld Fergusons decision. In 1896, the Supreme Court of the United States heard the case of Plessy v. Ferguson. Once again, Fergusons decision was upheld and Plessy was found guilty. The Supreme Court decided that the Separate Car Act did not violate the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery. This was too obvious for argument. They, also, decided that it did not violate the Fourteenth Amendment, which made the two races absolutely equal in the eyes of the law. It was decided that there was no violation of the constitution to separate the two races as long as they were equal (Cozzens). An eight-person majority decided the case, and the only Judge to disagree was Justice John Harlan who seemed to predict the future when he wrote: Our Constitution is color-blind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens. In respect of civil rights, all citiz...

The Role of Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Role of Economics - Essay Example According to Schumacher, economics plays a central role in determining as well as setting the criteria that is used to determine what is economic or not. There are many factors that are involved when one talks about the economy of a given region. Therefore, economists will be in place to determine how the factors can be brought together to ensure that there is maximum production or the returns that are realized are at the peak. An economist will therefore be given the role of deciding whether a given idea or investment is economic or uneconomic. This is done by weighing the inputs that need to be put and the returns that are to be realized after the idea has been actualized. Schumacher (1973) notes that when an economist makes the verdict above the questions that arise are on the criteria that was used to make the final verdict. This should therefore be explainable by the economist to a layman or another individual who does not have a sound understanding of the subject. On top of tha t people are interested in understanding how the verdict means. Can one continue with the investment or should they halt it at the grounds? Are there any options that can be adopted and make the idea work? All these need to be addressed by the economist. Schumacher goes back in history to bring the concept of professorship which was founded for political economy at Oxford about 190 years ago. He cites Edward Copleston who was among the people unhappy about the introduction of a science into the curriculum .